Thursday Recipe - German Pork Roast

This is a semi-traditional one-dish meal that riffs off the German dish choucroute. I think. I've never made the traditional dish because I've never had all the ingredients in the same place at the same time. It requires sausages, pork ribs, other smoked meats that come from pigs, sauerkraut, and other stuff. It's tasty, but not what I had on hand.

I hope you enjoy this one. It's tender, flavorful, and easy. Plus, it only takes one roasting pan to make the whole dinner.

German Pork Roast

2-3 lb pork roast or thick-cut pork chops, bone-in or boneless, doesn't matter
1-2 lb potatoes, scrubbed and cut in big chunks, about 8 good-size ones
1 lb carrots, scrubbed and cut into big chunks, about 10-12
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
2 apples, cored and sliced, don't bother peeling them
2 c. good quality sauerkraut, not the canned stuff, go for a good bottled variety or the refrigerated stuff in the deli section
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Place the pork roast in a large roasting pan or baking dish. If it has a fat layer, face that side up. Spread potatoes and carrots around the roast. Lay onions on top of the roast. Add apples over the top of that. Spread sauerkraut over the roast. Sprinkle salt over the meat and vegetables. Add pepper.

Bake at 400° F for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until roast is done and vegetables are tender. If you use chops or a flat roast, check after 45 minutes. A very thick roast or one with bones may take longer. Roast should no longer be pink in the center.

Let stand for 15 minutes after you remove it from the oven.  Slice the roast.

Serve with butter, salt, pepper, and sour cream as garnishes.

Thursday Recipe - Easy Lasagna and Traditional German Pork Chops

Thanks to @KDSarge on Twitter, I have recipe suggestions. No pictures, because I'm imagining these in my head. Maybe I'll cook the lasagna for dinner tonight, but the pork chops will have to wait until I've gone shopping again. And don't cook them both for the same meal. Sauerkraut and lasagna just don't mix.

This time of year, when spring is still not here and the cold is set in my bones, I want comfort food, the kind that warms heart, soul, and body. These recipes fit the bill.

With our milk allergies, I'll be doing a pot of dairy-free lasagna (almost not worth doing, because the cheese is the best part) and one with goat cheese (which I can't eat, it makes me sicker than cow cheese). I'll have to cook pork chops for Valentine's Day.

Easy Lasagna

1 12 oz package elbow macaroni or spirals
1 large can spaghetti sauce, whatever flavor and brand you prefer
1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained (or use Italian sausage or ground turkey or whatever meat you want)
2 c. steamed cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 c. shredded mozarella
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
Any or all of the following:
1 c. chopped onion, sauteed
1 c. chopped bell pepper
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. olives
1 c. chopped zucchini
1 c. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente (slightly undercooked). Drain.

Add sauce, meat, cauliflower, half the cheese, and any extras you want to add. Stir gently until mixed. Pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with the rest of the mozarella and the parmesan. Bake at 350° until hot and cheese is melted. Serve with green salad and garlic bread.

Traditional German Pork Chops (great with German Potato Salad and steamed veggies)

6 thick cut pork chops (for 6 people)
1 T. oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 t. rubbed sage
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 c. thinly sliced onion
2 c. sauerkraut (find a good refrigerated bottled brand. Don't use canned)
1 large granny smith or other tart apple, cored and thinly sliced

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Reduce heat to medium. Remove pork chops, set aside. Add onions and stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes until soft. Add pork chops back to pan. Sprinkle pork chops with salt, pepper, sage, and paprika. Spread sauerkraut over chops. Add apples. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until pork is completely done, about 20 - 30 minutes. (Cut one open and make sure the center is not pink. If they have bones, check near the bone.)

Serve with extra sauerkraut and brown mustard.